Where one is spotted, however, more are likely to be found since they are believed to live in small colonies. That makes it less surprising that this is the second white squirrel Thomas has seen at his house. Sadly, the first sighting was of squirrel which had somehow met its demise before Thomas discovered it on the driveway.

Albino squirrels: The facts

Albino squirrels – as with albinos of any species – lack the pigment melanin, giving them white fur and red eyes.

Albinos have markedly poorer eyesight and hearing that normal squirrels. Melanin plays a role in the development of the eyes, without which focusing and depth perception are impaired.

In North America, non-albino white squirrels have been spotted as well. They have a different gene which produces white fur, leaving the squirrels with dark eyes.

As well as albino squirrels, there are also ‘melanistic’ squirrels. These squirrels have a surfeit of melanin, making them black all over.

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